Time for Change

Last updated : 12 December 2010 By Tony Scholes

That's all of the promoted teams played now with draws against Millwall and Norwich preceding this defeat and it is the Norwich game many will look at to draw parallels having also seen that game dramatically change after half time too.

It's difficult to determine what action needs to be taken but things do have to change. The atmosphere at Turf Moor is just not right, nowhere near. I'm certainly not having a go at any supporters who are all entitled to an opinion, but the only way we can ever succeed is if everyone pulls together and that clearly isn't going to happen right now.

The decisions will have to be taken at board level and our board have got most decisions correct during their tenure. This is a most difficult one for them without a doubt.

The simple fact is that there is a growing number of our supporters who want a change of manager. Some, most unfairly in my view, were never prepared to give him a chance and have been at him from day one. But results haven't helped him and his record in terms of points per games is currently better only than John Benson's over the last thirty years or so.

The situation can't continue. It is very similar now to how it was at Bolton with Gary Megson and I'm convinced this week's appointment of Alan Pardew at Newcastle will have very much the same effect at St. James' Park. Pardew has said today that he wants to try and win the fans over. His time at Newcastle is already numbered and it's a lot less than the five and a half year contract they've given him.

Had we started this season well then I know that some fans would have said it was despite Laws, so intent are they in wanting him out, but it hasn't started well and since we won promotion to this division in 2000 we've only four times had less points than this after twenty games, twice under Stan Ternent's management and twice with Steve Cotterill in charge. Significantly those four seasons were in succession and in the aftermath of ITV Digital when the club's fortunes financially were at their lowest.

Should Laws go? That's the question many are asking and the numbers wanting him to go are, beyond any doubt at all, increasing with each disappointing result. Mid December is hardly the time to be changing manager and we know from a year ago the consequences of making a change, or in that case forced into making a change, that would disrupt any work done for the forthcoming transfer window.

But quite simply this club of ours cannot work and cannot be successful unless we all pull in the same direction. How to point us all in the same direction is the most difficult question to answer. I certainly don't have the answer and certainly wouldn't be quick to support such suggestions as Laws being replaced with either Chris Hughton or Sean O'Driscoll.

I hate it like this, I really do. All I ever want for my club is for it to be as successful as it possibly can be and no matter what decisions are taken I'll continue to support it as best I can.

I saw the rapid decline of our club, particularly in the 1980s, and saw so many regular supporters turn their backs and walk away. As difficult as that is for some it is certainly a hell of a lot more difficult for them to turn back again and return.

We can't afford that now, we can't afford another decline and we need the fans, as many as possible, to be right behind Burnley Football Club. You know, Burnley Football Club is what matters, not Brian Laws, not Owen Coyle, not Steve Cotterill, not Stan Ternent and not any other manager or player that's ever set foot inside Turf Moor.

It is time for change, one way or another we have to get the club moving forwards again.